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Picture taken during my tenure as Wine Director of DeGrezia Restorante New York

LUIGI Makes thee Absolute BEST CHIANTI you’ll ever taste

WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR MY in The RESTAURANT BUSINESS

The CAMBRIDGE INN , Parmaus , NJ

I was a Busboy here for almost 4 years when I was in High School 1972 – 1976

” I Was a Great Busboy” So Good, the waitresses would all fight over me to be there busboy for the night, as if I did, they’d have less work to do. I did it all. I was Bad Ass !!! I still am!”

Working at The CAMBRIDGE INN , I got the restaurant bug, and I learned a Hell of a lot. About the Restaurant Business and Life. I learned how to become the Best Dam Busboy anybody could possibly be, and I was. I watched everybody, especially the cooks, and I dreamed of becoming one day, and to be a Chef too. And I did.

The CONTINENTAL in The Early 60s

would Later become The CAMBRIDGE INN

LUTECE

and The Renowned CHEF / OWNER ANDRE SOLTNER

Was my first Kitchen Job . Pre Cook Summer 1979

After working at LUTECE my friend Loic, Chef at Le Relais hooked me up with his friend Chef Michele Fitousi at The PALACE RESTAURANT on East 59th Street.

The Famous JOHN’S of 12th STREET

LUCKY LUCIANO ‘S Favorite Restaurant

My First Waiters Job

I worked at JOHN’S almost 7 years (Part Time) in the 1980s while I also worked full-time as a cook and later Sous Chef as I was learning to becoming a CHEF after attending New York Technical College (Restaurant Program) in Brooklyn ..

I worked at The ODEON Under the Great Chef Patrick Clarke in the early 80s

JAY McINEREY “s BRIGHt LIGHTS BIG CITY

ODEON on Cover

It’s Funny but my Life at the Time Mirrored that of the main character (played by Michael J Fox in the Movie) … We’ll get to that later.

The ODEON

The restaurant now, is quite horrible and has been for the past 20 years, but it once was one of the Coolest Restaurants on the Planet. The restaurant was doing well when it first opened, but when the creator of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Loren Michaels started bringing the Cast of SNL down to the ODEON after the SNL Show rapped every Saturday late into the evening, the Odeon became a Hot overnight success.

The First ITALIAN RESTAURANT I COOKED AT

CAIO BELLA

This is the only picture I could find from the place back in 1987

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I got to know the great Sculptor Arturo Di Modica (Wall Street Bull fame)when I was cooking at Caio Bella . Arturo ate at Caio Bella almost every night.He parked his Red Ferrari right outside the restaurant. One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever had in my career was from Arturo who told , “I love the way you cook.”

Arturo’s Famous WALL STREET BULL

My Ex-Boss , Owner of CAIO BELLA

Enrico Proietti

Pictured here with a Small Fortune Worth of WHITE TRUFFLES

Me Back in The DAY

During The Time I was Working at CAIO BELLA

Hanging Out with Nicoletta at Casa Albertina POSITANO , ITALY

LONG BEFORE ANTHONY BOURDAIN

I Helped Opened LES HALLES RESTAURANT in 1990

Then it was a year and a Half Stint at the famed CAFE des ARTISTES

A Howard Chandler Christy Mural at CAFE des ARTISTES

I dreamed up my own restaurant while at Cafe des Artistes. I put together a business plan for my concept BAR CICHETTI which I created America’s FIRST EVER Venetian Wine Bar (BACARO) Restaurant .

After my Partner Tom and I parted our ways at BAR CICHETTI, I took a month rest, and one day accepted SILVANO MARCHETTO ‘S offer for me to go work as Maitre’d Manager at his famed restaurant in GREENWICH VILLAGE Da SILAVANO which was at the time, thee # 1 HOTTEST CELEBRITY SPOT Restarant in New York City.